Lubricating device



LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed March 15, 1930 Wi e/#07? $561305 FIJ/Md,

Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES LUBRICATING DEVICE Joseph J. Janca, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to The Emerson Electric Mfg. 00., St. Louis, Mo., a

corporation of Missouri Application March 15, 1930, Serial No. 435,993

8 Claims.

This invention relates to lubricating devices and consists in the novel construction hereinafter described.

Primarily the object of the invention is to provide a construction particularly adapted for incorporation in an electric ceiling fan which is suspended from the ceiling with a shaft in vertical position and in which the fan is of the reversing type.

Generally the invention consists in improvements in lubricating devices that have general application and the objects of the invention in its broader aspect are to provide a lubricating device which will provide positive means for lubrieating a shaft adapted for rotation in both directions with respect to its support.

The advantages of the construction will be readily apparent from the following detail description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the construction.

Fig.2 is a cross section on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 44, Fig. 3, with the parts in correct vertical position.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 55, Fig. 3, with the parts in correct vertical position.

In the drawing the invention is shown as embodied in a ceiling fan motor wherein the motor is suspended from the ceiling and the fan blades are mounted directly on the armature.

A canopy 1 supports a vertical stationary axle shaft 2 secured against rotation by a key 3. The shaft 2 may be hollow forming a conduit for electric wires leading to a switch not shown, and which may be supported below the motor. The canopy 1 may also support the motor stator not shown in the drawing, but of usual and well known construction and need not be illustrated or described in detail. The bottom of the shaft 2 has external threads 4 by which an end member 5 may be secured to the shaft. The canopy 1 also supports a stationary sleeve 6 spaced from and concentric with the shaft 2.

A rotor 7 is secured by a web 8 to a hub 9 and the hub to a cylindrical shaft 10 which forms a part of the hub and is mounted between the shaft 2 and the sleeve 6. The web 8 may include an annular flange 11 to provide a support for the fan blades. An anti-friction end thrust'bearing 12 is positioned between the end member 5 and the hub 9. In order to render the motor noiseless suitable washers 13 of felt or other suitable material are arranged above and below the bearing 12.

The end member 5 has a cup shaped wall 14, thus providing a receptacle or well for a lubricant. The web 8 has a cup shaped portion 15 within the wall 14 for the same purpose.

A spiral groove 16 is formed on the interior of the cylindrical shaft 10, and a spiral groove 17 is formed on the exterior of the same shaft but in reverse direction.

A channel 18 is formed in the upper end of the cylindrical shaft 10 connecting the grooves 16 and 17, thus providing communication between the grooves at the upper end of the shaft. At the lower end of the shaft both grooves are in communication with the lubricant contained within the cup-shaped walls 14 of the member 5 and the cup-shaped walls 15 of the web 8, the two cups being in communication in a manner which will be presently described.

Oblique holes 19 in a vertical plane run through the hub 9 thus forming means of communication between the cups or walls 14 and 15. The spiral groove 16 communicates with the well 14 by means of the channels 20 cut in the end of the shaft 10. It will be seen that the groove 16 communicates with the well 14, and the groove 17 communicates with the well 15, and thus the grooves 16 and 17 are in communication one with the other also at their lower ends.

I It will be observed that if the shaft is rotated in one direction the lubricant will be conveyed from the well 14 upwardly of the shaft through the groove 16 acting as a rotary conveyor to the top of the shaft 10, thence through the channel 18, through the groove 1'7 downwardly into the well 15 and through the holes 19 into the well 14, thus providing a complete circuit. If the shaft is operated in a reverse direction the path of the lubricantwill be through the same channels but in the reverse direction.

Means are provided on the lower face of the hub 9 for diverting the lubricant from the well 14 towards either the holes 19 or the channel20, depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft 10 with respect to its support. This means comprises a downwardly extending annular flange 21 which is cut by the channels 20. Depressions or channels 22 extend from the edge of the hub and terminate at the openings of the holes 19. Downwardly extending projections 23 of the form shown in the drawing, circumscribe a part of the channels 22. Thus when the shaft is rotated in one direction the lubricant is caught in the channel 2.2 and projected toward the opening of the hole 19, whence it is conveyed upwardly through the hole and into the well 15. When the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction an angular end 24 of the projection 23 catches the lubricant and deflects it inwardly toward the channel 20, and lubricant issuing from the bottom of the hole 19 is directly deflected toward the channel 20.

Lubricant may be supplied to the device through a hole 25 through the canopy 1 and extending into communication with the upper end of the cylindrical shaft 10.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a lubrication system has been provided which will cause the positive circulation of lubricant along a shaft when the shaft is rotated in either direction.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising an axle, a hub revolubly journalled on the axle, a rotary conveyor interior of said hub for conveying lubricant along the axle in either direction depending upon the direction of rotation, a rotary conveyor external of said hub for conveying lubricant in a direction opposite from that of the first named conveyor and including a sleeve about thehub concentric with the axle, and means at each end of the hub for communication between the conveyors.

2. A device of the class described comprising, an axle, a hub revolubly journalled on the axle, a rotary conveyor internal of said hub for conveying lubricant along the axle in either direction depending upon the direction of rotation, a rotary conveyor external of the hub for conveying lubricant in a direction opposite from that of the first named conveyor and including a sleeve about the hub concentric with the axle, a well for lubricant at one end of the hub communicating with both conveyors, and means at the other end of the hub for communication between the conveyors.

3. A device of the class described comprising, a support including a shaft and a concentric sleeve spaced from said shaft, a hubrevolubly mounted on and supported by the shaft and within the sleeve, a rotary conveyor intermediate the hub and the shaft for conveying lubricant along the shaft in one direction, a rotary conveyorintermediate the hub and the sleeve for conveying lubricant in the opposite direction, and means at each end of the hub for communication between the conveyors.

4. A device of the class described comprising, a support, including a shaft and a concentric sleeve spaced from said shaft, a hub revolubly mounted on and supported by the shaft and within the sleeve, a spiral groove intermediate the shaft and hub, a reverse spiral groove intermediate the hub and the sleeve, and communicating means between said groove at each end of the hub.

5. A device of the classdescribed comprising a vertical shaft, a concentric sleeve spaced from said shaft, an end thrust member secured at the bottom of said shaft and having cup-shaped walls forming a well for lubricant, a hub revolubly mounted on and supported by the shaft and within the sleeve and bearing upon said thrust member, means for circulating said lubricant including a spiral groove intermediate the hub and the shaft, a reverse spiral groove intermediate the hub and the sleeve, said grooves being in communication with the lubricant well, and communicating means between the grooves at the upper end of the hub. V

6. A device of the class described comprising, a support including a vertical shaft, a concentric sleeve spaced from said shaft, an end thrust member secured at the bottom of said shaft and having cup-shaped walls forming a well for lubricant, a hub revolubly mounted on and supported by the shaft and within the sleeve and bearing upon said thrust member, a web secured to said hub having walls forming a lubricant well, means for circulating said lubricant including a spiral groove intermediate the shaft and the hub, 21. reverse spiral groove intermediate the hub and the sleeve, said grooves being in communication with the lubricant walls respectively, communicating means between the walls, and communicating means between the grooves at the upper end of the hub.

'7. A device of the class described comprising, a support including a vertical shaft, a concentric sleeve spaced from said shaft, an end thrust member secured at the bottom of said shaft and having cup-shaped walls forming a well for lubricant, a hub revolubly mounted about the supporting shaft and within the sleeve and bearing upon said thrust member, a web secured to said hub and having walls forming a lubricant well, means for circulating said lubricant including a spiral'groove intermediate the shaft and the hub, a reverse spiral groove intermediate the hub and the sleeve, sa'id grooves being in communication with the lubricant wells respectively, communicating means between the walls comprising an oblique hole in a vertical plane through the webbing, and communicatnig means between the grooves at the upper end of the hub.

. 8. A device of the class described comprising, a vertical shaft, a concentric sleeve spaced from said shaft, an end thrust member secured at the bottom of said shaft and having cup-shaped walls forming a well for lubricant, a hub revolubly mounted about the supporting shaft and within,

the sleeve and bearing upon said thrust member, means for circulating said lubricant including a spiral groove intermediate the hub and the shaft, 2. reverse spiral groove intermediate the hub and the sleeve, said grooves being in communication with the lubricant well, communicating means JOSEPH J. JANCA. 

